Barricade in Serbia obstacle on EU path

A barricade on the road between Raska and Donje Jarinje is in the territory of central Serbia and it is most frequently being mentioned as yet another obstacle to giving of the candidate status to Serbia. Removal of that barricade is in competence of Serbia Home Ministry.

This barricade was raised on December 8 last year. Serbian police have already removed it once. Police Minister Ivica Dacic then said that ‘there are no more barricades on that road since Serbs on the other side of the administration line are ready to remove it’. However, during nigh, the barricade consisting of earth was returned and Serbian police have not intervened again since then.

The EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuehle warned in his interview with ‘Blic’ to ‘have been aware of efforts by Belgrade in calming down the situation in the field’. But he pointed out that ‘there is still one barricade in the territory of Serbia although the Home Ministry has all authority to remove it’.

As the date for making of decision about giving of the candidate status to Serbia is approaching, diplomats in Brussels and Belgrade are more frequently mentioning that one barricade in the territory of Serbia as ‘a symbolic sign that Belgrade is not ready to fulfill conditions that can be easily fulfilled’.

‘We are optimistic about reaching of agreement over regional representation of Kosovo. We find proposals by Belgrade constructive and think that pressure on Pristina is now to be increased.

Progress in negotiations
Chief of Belgrade negotiating team in dialog with Pristina Borislav Stefanovic yesterday met in Vienna with the EU mediator Robert Cooper. He told ‘Blic’ that ‘talks were successful’ and that ‘position of Belgrade has been improved because creative solutions in line with the EU stances were offered’.

However, there is question of that one barricade in the territory of Serbia. That problem might become very serious at the moment when giving of the candidate status to Serbia is going to be discussed’, ‘Blic’ source from diplomatic circles in Belgrade said.

From several high sources ‘Blic’ yesterday got confirmation that they ‘are aware of the problem’.

At the Ministry for Kosovo/Metohija we were told that ‘there is one barricade on nobody’s land’ and that they ‘hope it shall be removed soon’.

Uve Novicki, the KFOR spokesman told ‘Blic’ yesterday that ‘it is not clear on whose territory that barricade is’ but that ‘it is important that it is removed’.

Krstimir Pantic, Kosovska Mitrovica City Mayor told ‘Blic’ yesterday that ‘citizens are on duty on the barricades even in this bitterly cold weather’ and that ‘they shall not leave until the EULEX makes a promise that it shall act neutrally in view of the status’.

Professor Predrag Simic, former Serbian ambassador to France is of the opinion that ‘mentioning of barricades is bad sign at the moment when a reason for not giving the candidate status to Serbia is being looked for again’.